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![]() Learie Constantine Learie Nicholas ConstantineBorn: 21 September 1901, Petit Valley, Diego Martin, TrinidadDied: 1 July 1971, Brondesbury, Hampstead, London Major Teams: Trinidad, Freelooters, Barbados, West Indies. Known As: Learie Constantine Batting Style: Right Hand Bat Bowling Style: Right Arm Medium, Right Arm Fast Test Debut: West Indies v England at Lord's, 1st Test, 1928 Latest Test: West Indies v England at The Oval, 3rd Test, 1939 Later Baron Constantine, of Maraval in Trinidad and Tobago, and of Nelson, in the County Palatine of Lancaster Knighted 1962 Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1940 Career Statistics:TESTS (including 19/08/1939) M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 18 33 0 635 90 19.24 0 4 28 0 Balls M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ Bowling 3583 125 1746 58 30.10 5-75 2 0 61.7 2.92 FIRST-CLASS (1921/22 - 1938/39) M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 119 197 11 4475 133 24.05 5 28 133 0 R W Ave BBI 5 10 Bowling 8991 439 20.48 8-38 25 4 - Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS. StatsGuru Filters for Learie ConstantineArticles about Learie ConstantinePictures of Learie ConstantineProfile:CLR James wrote of him "He belongs to the distinguished company of men who, through cricket, influenced the history of their time". Learie, later Sir Learie and Lord Constantine, brought West Indian cricket into the international eye through his inspirational play. His father made the first century by a West Indian in England, and Learie grew up in Trinidad playing cricket under his guidance. A completely original, but inconsistent batsman, a bowler capable of genuine pace, and a sensational fielder, he was one of the most watchable cricketers of his, or any, time. Starting with an orthodox technique, Constantine was able to improvise strokes to fit any situation, as well as hitting with immense power. Lacking consistency at first, his fielding at cover kept him in the West Indies side, where he surpassed his great contemporaries, Hobbs and Bradman. Consciously planning to make cricket a career, he restricted his fielding to the slips to allow him to develop as a fast bowler, and his success on the 1928 tour of England secured him a Lancashire League contract with Nelson. He was without equal as a League professional, learning to bowl with great variation and accuracy, and built consistency in his run scoring. Whilst in England he and the writer CLR James worked together to further the cause of West Indian nationalism, and he later successfully studied for the Bar. Returning to Trinidad, he became an MP, a Government minister, and returned to England as High Commissioner for Trinidad. (Dave Liverman, 1998)
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